Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-05-12

She would have followed and shared
Lisbeths danger.
After feeding the chickens, and let
ting the geese loose TO swim in the
pond close by, Nina brought a low
stool to the door, and Sat there quietly
knitting.
Not many people crossed the lines
that day; the roads were so difiieult to
traverse, and the sky looked too dark
to bode any good.
Darker aud darker grew the sky,
and in the distance could be heard the
faint roll of thunder; but it was not
until night had fallen over the earth
that the rain came down.
Nina rushed TO the window when She
heard the heavy downpour anxiously
watching for a glimpse of her mother;
but though it was long past her hour
for returning, no sign of lantern-light
illumincd the murky darkness.
The child glanced uneasily towards
the big clock; its hands pointed to a
few minutes 70 ten, and in quarter OF
an hour the last train was due
With a cold SILVER Nina wrapped a
thick cloak round her, drawing the
hood over her head; lighting Il lantern
she caught up the horn and flag. then
went out into the chill night to wait.
As She slowly closed the gates q wave
of icy water suddenly passed over her
feet, filing her sabots to the brim; and
as Nina LEI hcr lantern CLEAN upon the
ground, she saw to her horror that it
was covered to % depth of two inches
with the fast-howing river.
Despair 3tilled the cry which rose to
her lips, and her heart stood still with
sudden anguish The flood. must be
bad indeed TO reach there, and Ligni-
eres was probably Immersed bv now.
With this thought came another.
Not only her mothers life, but many
others were in peril, and the others she
might save if energy and strength
could do SO.
The train she could hear slowly adj
vancing through the night; the shrill
horn from gate lower down had been
waited to her dulled ears some time
ago.
Presently lights flashed on the SOM
bre blackness as the weighty engine
crept stealthily onward
With a brief prayer for help. Nina,
unconscious of the waters washing her
almost off her feet, and the rain beat
ing pitilessly down upon her bare
head, rushed out into the middle of
the lines, and waving her lantern fran
tically TO and fro, shricked with all the
power of her childish voice.
"Stop-stop, or you are lost" she
called; and at first it seemed as if she
called in yain-only her young life
would soon be sacrificed to ker cour-
age,
Presently, however, the engine
driver saw the fickering light aud
heard that frenzied cry, and fearing
danger, stopped the engine.
What is ftp" he asked, as Nina
sprang across the lines. What has
happened?"
In few brief words the child ex-
planned, adding in mournful tones;
"Ihe floods must be terrible in. the
village; no train could fight its way
through the force of the rushing river.
Had you gone on, you would have
persisted, as my poor mother has prob
ably been lost"
Scarcely had the last words left her
lips, with hcartbroken sob, than a
faint voice was heard calling her
name.
Nina's face grew radiant, without
waiting to explain to the sympathetic
she bounded towards her
home.
1t was indeed her mother safe,
though drenchcd through to abe skin.
In spite of the seething waters, she
had battled her way brayely home to
her child.
The train returned to station lower
down, waiting there till the food had
ceased; but Lisbeth, sheltered i'm .
little room beneath the root, Nina
clasped in her arms, felt ferYent graSi-
tude rise in her heart, remembering
the danger which had threatened both,
and the m~clhsh courage which had
enabled her child to save many human
lives from death.